Obama privately told allies that he’s concerned about Biden’s path to re-election

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Barack Obama has privately raised concerns about Joe Biden’s path to re-election after his shaky debate performance, a sharp deviation from his public comments.

The former president has told allies that he is worried about Democrats’ ability to defeat Donald Trump in November and has warned Biden in recent months about the challenges ahead, according toThe Washington Post.

Before the first presidential debate last week, Obama reminded his friend and former vice president about the stakes of the campaign. This echos his long-held concerns about Trump’s political strength going into the 2024 election, the report says.

But Biden failed to live up to, or exceed, expectations during the CNN debate, mumbling and at times appearing to lose his train of thought. After the debate, Obama called Biden to offer advice,The Post reported. It is unclear what Obama said or how he addressed Biden’s performance.

The Independent has contacted the Biden campaign, and the Office of Barack and Michelle Obama, for comment.

Publicly, Obama has been a strong supporter of Biden but acknowledged his poor performance last week. “Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know,” Obama wrote on X on Thursday night.

“But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself. Between someone who tells the truth; who knows right from wrong and will give it to the American people straight — and someone who lies through his teeth for his own benefit. Last night didn’t change that, and it’s why so much is at stake in November.”

Obama’s sentiment echoed similar statements made by leaders in the Democratic Party, like former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senator John Fetterman. 

Their efforts are an attempt to cool concerns from voters and other Democrats that Biden is not well enough to run a successful campaign or defeat Trump in November.

Post-debate polls show voters’ confidence in the president has dramatically decreased. Some surveys from swing states like New Hampshire and Michigan show Biden’s lost whatever lead he had over Trump.

But those surveys, and public support, may change in the coming months as Biden continues to campaign.